MICHAEL JOHNSON (Victor Frankenstein) is a currently a student at Cuyahoga Community College. His most recent favorite roles include Mat Burke in Ensemble's season opener Anna Christie and Clifford Bradshaw in Cabaret. The role of Victor Frankenstein is his second role in a row at Ensemble and is incredibly grateful for the opportunity!  He is grateful for the oppurtunity to work with such a talented cast and director.  He would like to thank all of his friends and family for there never ending support.  

ALLEN BRANSTEIN (The Creature) is very excited to be doing Frankenstein, again!  He last apperared at Ensemble in Anna Christie, The Iceman Cometh, Waiting for Lefty, The Man Who Came to Dinner and Burial at Thebes, the last being directed by Lucia Colombi.  He has performed at the Beck Center, Great Lakes, Karamu, Dobama, Red Hen, Working Theater, Bad Epitaph as well as any other place that would have him. Favorite roles have been Richard III, Titus, Agrippa, Rosencrantz, Bottom, and Harry in Harry's Christmas.  He is a co-founder of the Mike and Al Show (a vaudeville comedy act), has been in a few films and commercials, and he would like to thank Paula because he can.  

HILLARY WHEELOCK (Walton/Elizabeth/Ensemble) is a former Actor-Teacher with Great Lakes Theater and graduate of Case Western Reserve University. In college, she studied contemporary and classical acting overseas at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the British-American Drama Academy. Hillary is an alumna of IMPROVment, Case Western Reserve University’s premier short-form improv comedy troupe. She has studied long- and short-form improv with Jet Eveleth (iO Theater – Chicago), Brandon Gardner (Upright Citizen's Brigade – NYC), and Christopher Bohan (Something DaDa – Cleveland). This is her debut performance with Ensemble Theatre. She will return to the TheatreCLE season in March and April as Viola in Twelfth Night. Recent acting credits include: The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival – Twelfth Night (Olivia, Sir Andrew), Romeo and Juliet (Mercutio), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck), The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Silvia), Measure for Measure, As You Like It (Jaques), Henry VIII, Love’s Labours Lost (Rosaline); CWRU – The Crucible (Abigail Williams), Blood Wedding (La Madre), The Tempest (Ariel), The Seagull, Dancing at Lughnasa, Top Girls.

JEREMY JENKINS (Clerval/Ensemble) wishes everyone a memorable holiday at Ensemble!  He was last seen on their stage in The Normal Heart (Tommy Boatwright), The Iceman Cometh (Pat McGloin), All This Intimacy (Seth), and Exit the King (Doctor).  Other favorite roles include The Glass Menagerie (Jim) at Coach House Theatre, August: Osage County (Little Charles) at Lakeland Civic Theatre, The Miracle Worker (James Kellar) at True North, The Fox on the Fairway (Justin) at Clague Playhouse, and multiple roles with the Ohio Shakespeare Festival where he is a 5 year company member.  High Four!  Black heart (cards) 2 Purty & support Ensemble Theatre!  Spread the word!

JUSTINE ZAPIN (Justine/Rightous Woman/Ensemble) is thrilled to be a part of this fantastic production - her Ensemble Theatre debut! Most recently Justine appeared in the World Premiere of Titus: A Grand and Gory Rock Musical at Cleveland Public Theatre and will next appear in The Great Gatsby right here at Ensemble. In addition to her acting pursuits, Justine is the director of Stagcrafters Broadway Buddies - Share the Stage with a Friend. The most fantastic role she plays on a daily basis, however, is the role of new mommy to 5 month old Atticus - anybody want a peanut?

STUART HOFFMAN, Krempke/Ensemble is a local actor, playwright, and baker. Recent theater credits include The Pillowman (convergence-continuum), Arcadia (Mamai), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Akron Symphony Orchestra) and The Bald Soprano (Ohio City Theater Project). Past Ensemble productions include The Burial at Thebes, The Rose Tattoo, and The Man Who Came to Dinner. Up next: The Hound of the Baskervilles with Actor's Summit in Akron. Thank you for coming and for supporting live theater. 

KIRK BROWN, Judge Frank/Old Man Delacy/Ensemble has been involved in Cleveland theatre since moving here in 1984 from Bakersfield Ca. where he earned a B.A.in theatre from CSUB and where he met his wife Sharon! She and their two sons(all east siders) have been invaluable in helping Kirk get through many productions at Dobama, Ensemble, Chagrin, CPT, and other theatres in the greater Cleveland area. It's been a while since he's been out on the "boards" as they say, but its good to be back. Thank you Steven for that little push.

BAILEY FISHER, William/Ensemble is excited for his first production at Ensemble!  He will receive his THEATRE merit badge (Boy Scouts) for his role in FRANKENSTEIN! 

CREW:

STEPHEN VASSE-HANSELL, Director is happy to direct again at Ensemble.  Recent Ensemble credits include Captain Scott in Beyond The Horizon, Cecil Lewis in Ensemble's award winning The Iceman Cometh, and Agate Keller in Waiting for Lefty, "Lefty" being part of Ensemble's first season in this new location. Stephen has been engaged in the theatrical arts for over 40 years, including residencies in Chicago, Missouri, Indiana and Ohio; participating in more than 200 productions as an actor, director, designer and wrighter.  He also has three Jefferson nominations to his credit.  All my love to Nancy and Hunter for everything!  He most recently directed Ionesco's last season's TheatreCLE production of The Chairs.  

MEG  PARISH, Costumes can be found, when not on stage, lurking in the wings with measuring tape and pins.  A self-proclaimed “theater gypsy,” her designs have appeared in productions across northeast Ohio over the last thirty years.  Favorite projects include The Miser at Clague Playhouse and A Free Man of Color at Ensemble.  She has designed all of Charles’s work at Ensemble having designed last years Knock Me a Kiss as well as the 2014 production of The Gospel According to James.  She thanks the cast for wearing her “deconstructed” costumes with such distinction. She will design for Ensemble’s next production, The Great Gatsby as well.  

Steven Barton, Stage Manager/Lighting Designer coming from Vienna, Austria, is a recent Hiram graduate in Theatre. He is excited to start his first season here at Ensemble Theatre, having just designed the lights for The Mercy Seat and acting as Master Electrician and Assistant Lighting Designer for Anna Christie. He has worked on shows here in Cleveland Heights at Cain Park, as crew for The Frogs, Smokey Joe's Cafe, and Avenue Q. He would like to thanks Carl Skorepa, for putting up with me long enough for this to become a reality.